Meat-holder



(No Model.)

R. W. RANDLE.

ME AT HOLDER.

Lil

ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 10,1891.

INVENTOR W/TNESSES:

ENS co., mom-uwo, WAENINGTON, n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

ROBERT \VJRANDLE, OF PORTLAND, INDIANA.

MEAT-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 446,268, dated February10, 1891.

Application filed OctoberSO, 1890- Serial No. 369,780, (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT W. RANDLE, of Portland, in the county of Jayand State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement inMeat-Holders, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention is more particularly designed to be used as a ham-holderto facilitate the slicing of the joint and to keep it from drying up andfrom fiies,insects,or dirt when not required to be cut. Said holder willbe found especially serviceable in hotels and restaurants for slicingboiled hams; and it consists in a holder for the purposes named of novelconstruction, whereby the joint can be sliced or cut to a greateradvantage, and other advantages are secured, substantially ashereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part ofthis specification, which represents a view in perspective of mynewlyinvented ham or joint holder, the outer cover or case being partlybroken away for the purpose of exposing the construction of the holder.

A indicates a wooden base which is intended to be secured by screws toashelf or table, and on this base rests a metal or other pan B, insideof which rests and is suitably secured to it and the base the ham orjoint holder proper, which is inclosed by a removable case H. Ifdesired, the base A may be dispensed with and the pan B be directlysecured to the shelf or table on which-it is intended to use the holder.

The holder proper mainly consists of a series of upright fingers or arms0 C, crooked or shaped to flare outward in an upward direction for thegreater or upper portion of ceive, as a hand or clamp, the smaller endof the ham within it and to firmly grasp or release it, as needed. Acam-lever D, pivoted, as at cl, serves when raised to its upper positionand pressed downward to press upon the tail end of the finger or arm 0,and so close the upper grasping portion of said finger toward the otherfingers and thereby clutch or hold the ham steady and in an uprightposition, and a pawl E, which may be tripped by the finger, itnecessary, is pivoted to the tail end of the finger O and engages with afixed rack G to retain said finger in its adjusted position to hold theham.

To enter the ham within the holder the lever D is first thrown up, whenthe adjustable finger G will be free to fall back at top to receive theentering-shank end downward between the several clamping-fingers, afterwhich the lever D is operated to tightly hold the ham, and the pawl Eserves to secure it in its held position, as hereinbefore described, theportion of the ham to be sliced always being above the fingers O G. Thecase or cover H, which fits down over the pan B, should be tall enoughnot only to take in the ham-holder proper, but also the ham itself,within the holder when the joint is not required to be sliced. Suchcover, which is in the form of a close metal drum, then'serves toprotect the ham from dust and flies and to keep it from drying up, whilea screen f in said cover acts as a ventilator to prevent the ham fromsouring. On the top of this case or cover is' a handle by which to liftit off when the ham-holder is required to be used or the joint to besliced.

My improved meat or joint holder not only firmly holds the joint or ham,but holds it in the proper position, largeend uppermost, for slicing, sothat the ham can be cut to greater advantage and more economically,there be i'ng no waste. The pan at the bottom of the holder serves tocatch all grease and scraps. The holder is adjustable to any sized hamand will hold it up out of the grease and scraps. It does not requirethe help of the hands to hold the ham while carving or slicing, thuskeeping the hand free from grease. After the ham has been sliced down tothe tops of the fingers or arms of the holder it can then be raised, andby means of the operating lever and catch or pawl be againtightly heldin its raised or readjusted position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a ham or meat holder adapted to hold the joint while being slicedor carved and at other times, an adjustable upright hand or clampcomposed of arms or fingers set tapering or flaring outward in anupright direction and adapted to firmly hold the joint by its smallerend within it, substantially as specified. v

2. In a ham or meat holder,the combination, with a series of uprightfixed clamping arms or fingers, of a pivoted and adjustable clamping armor finger, aleverfor closing the latter toward the fixed arms orfingers, and a catch for holding the same when so closed, essentially asset forth. 7

3. In a ham or meat holder, the combination, with an adjustableartificial clamping- -hand composed of aseries of upright fingers orarms and means for closing the same on 4. In a ham or meat holder, thecombination, with an adjustable clamping-hand composed of a series ofupright fingers or arms, means for closing the same on the joint, and anattached base-pan,of a removable cover inclosing the whole and providedwith aventilating-screen, essentially as and for the purposes herein setforth. l

5. In a ham or meat holder, the combination of the pan B, the uprightstationary fingers or arms 0 C, mounted thereon and attached thereto,the pivoted and adjustable finger or arm C the lever D, the pawl E, andthe rack G, essentially as shown and described.

ROBERT IV. RAN DLE.

\Vitnesses:

ROBERT L. HEARN, J. F. LA FOLLETTE.

